"Think what you like," he said, and turned again.

"Grant!"

He paused, his back to her for several seconds. Then he spun again.

"What, Stephanie?"

"Stay in your own cottage tonight."

"I can't leave you alone."

"Oh, yes, you can. Because I'm afraid to have you with me."

He stared at her and seconds pa.s.sed like heartbeats. He muttered something.She thought it might well have been the word b.i.t.c.h.

Then he took the few steps back to her and gripped her arms. She saw the muscles twitch in his throat, the beat of his pulse against a vein. "I will never leave you alone. Never. Lock me out. You'll never be alone."

But he released her then, as if she were somehow tainted, turned and strode for his car. As she watched him go, she was shaking. Her knees were weak. She was hot, and chilled, and she was angry...

And she was glad.

She could force herself to behave sanely.

But she didn't feel that way at all.

She was afraid...

But she wanted him more than ever. She wanted him so much that...

Fear be d.a.m.ned.

She squared her shoulders, furious with herself. She'd meant it. She was locking herself into her cottage that night. Somehow, Grant was simply going to have to get a grip on his anger and emotions.

She loved him. But it was far too easy to see herself... a moth drawn to the flame. The way she felt was too deep, too fevered.

Too desperate. As if... as if her emotions were even deeper than the time they'd been together, of the flesh, not of the flesh...

She groaned aloud, clenching her hands into fists at her side.

Then, as she stood there, it seemed that a deep, sweeping cloud came over the moon. And standing alone in the darkness outside the hospital, she felt vulnerable, as she never had before.

Stephanie... come!

It was the darkness, the strange shadows. She clamped her hands over her ears. She was letting her imagination play terrible tricks on her.

Stephanie...

She thought she heard throaty laughter.

It was only the sound of the wind, whispering through the trees.

She turned and ran back to the hospital.

Back to the blazing light that she knew, beyond a doubt, to be real.

Because she knew, deep in her heart, that she was being called.

Called...

Into the darkness.Chapter 13

He knew instantly, before he returned, that something had gone wrong, something that didn't fit the plan.

And he knew what.

He found her in his private quarters.

And it was what he'd expected.

She was like a well-fed cat, stretched out on the little love-seat, the look of absolute pleasure and satiation in her eyes.

He tried to remember that she was young, that the hunger could be an overwhelming desire, but that did little to ease his temper. She was as disposable as any other; she had been useful, but she had turned that usefulness now into a situation that could destroy his careful plans.

She smiled when she saw him, and he knew she was feeling her strength and power.

"So... you disobeyed me," he said.

She rose, still sleek as a cat, perhaps more sinuous than ever, so aware of herself, of her new being. "Yes, I disobeyed you," she said, and she came to him, playfully teasing at his hair, sending a finger to draw a line down his cheek. "I,"

she informed him, "am the same as you. And I have wants and desires as well. And the power to take what I will."

He shook his head, calm despite the rage burning inside.

"No, no, little one, you don't understand. I have a certain protection. One that you are lacking. You will be caught."

"Caught? What would it matter? Why... if a big, bad wolf came after me, I would just eat him all up."

Again, he shook his head. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "There are still things beneath heaven and earth that you don't understand. Different beings, different strengths, those who live and let others live, and those who think to rule the universe for those they consider to be evil and out of control. But that doesn't really matter now. You disobeyed me."

"I am my own power," she insisted.

"I told you, I am the lord."

"I want to be my own master."

"I am the lord, and the lord giveth, and the lord taketh away."

She never knew what was happening. It was almost a pity. She should have learned some humility.

His hands moved dexterously from her shoulders to cradle her head.

Then he snapped, and twisted.

There was an odd and horrible popping sound.

Previous Top NextHer body fell into a pile at his feet.

Time to feed the demon dogs.

Doug had been taken to a room. He slept, and seemed to do so peacefully. Machines monitored his vital signs, and an IV brought vital fluids into his body.

Arturo had gone back to the resort, but Liz had returned to the hospital, saying that she wanted to take a turn sitting at Doug's side.

Stephanie was curious that she spent so much time speaking with the doctor in Italian, but whatever she was saying, Antinella seemed to agree with her. They looked grave when they spoke.

Stephanie decided that she didn't want Liz in with Doug alone. Then she began to wonder why it seemed that she didn't trust anyone anymore. Even the doctor seemed suspicious, and that was because he was talking to Liz. Liz was suspicious because she had come to them through Clay; Clay was suspicious because Grant made her so nervous about the man, but then, there was Grant, and he was suspicious because... there were a million reasons. She wasn't even sure what they all were.

For the first hour they were allowed in, she and Suzette sat with Doug. He had color, Stephanie was glad to see, and Drew, coming in with Lena and Liz to spell them, seemed to be greatly relieved.

She asked Drew to follow her as she left the room.

When he was in the hallway with her, she hesitated, then told him, "Whatever happens, let's keep two people with him at all times."

He frowned. "All right," he said slowly. He kept staring at her. "You're worried about someone in particular, aren't you?"

"No... yes. Drew, I'm just not secure with Liz being alone with him."

He seemed really surprised. "She's one of the nicest people I've ever met," he told her.

"I know. I think so, too."

"But?"

"Drew, I'm beginning to get the feeling that none of us should be alone."

"Maybe I spooked you with that talk about dreams. I had to sound crazy, right?"

"I wish you had sounded entirely crazy," she told him. "Maybe it is crazy. Just please don't let Doug be alone... especially with Liz."

"You got it, kid."

"Did you find a place to eat while we were in with Doug?" she asked him.

He nodded. "A little cafe right around the corner. I'm pretty sure the woman said they were open until eleven. Luckily, this is Italy, and having dinner late is natural."

"Great. Okay, Suzette and I will get some dinner, and be back.""Are we staying here all night?" he asked her.

"You think you sound crazy?" she asked him. "I just think that we need to be around a while, okay? Maybe until dawn, and then we can go back and get some sleep ourselves."

Drew agreed. Stephanie went back for Suzette, and the two headed out, looking for the cafe. They found the place, and when they went in and sat down, the woman who was apparently cook, waitress, and owner came over. She didn't speak English, but Stephanie had learned enough to get by in a restaurant. The woman was pleasant, and took their order.

They both had a gla.s.s of wine as they waited for their food. "Do you think that... that Gema might be like... I don't know- skulking around somewhere? Perhaps really ill, and pa.s.sing it on?" Suzette asked.

"I don't know. Sometimes I think we're all losing it."

"It's a miracle that Doug is alive. You should have seen him when we first got here," Suzette said.

Stephanie nodded, somewhat distracted. There was an elderly Italian man sitting with a group at the rear of the cafe. The five men had apparently long since finished eating, but as was often the custom here, they were sitting and talking with their cigars and brandy, drawing the evening out.

The one elderly gentleman was staring at her intently. It was the kind of serious study that made her feel uncomfortable.

The waitress came, delivering their salads.

She said something to them that Stephanie didn't understand, but it was friendly. She finished with a cheerful, "Mangia!"

They thanked her.

As they ate, Stephanie told Suzette, "There's an older man back there, staring at me."

Suzette grinned. "He probably thinks you're hot stuff."

"I don't think it's that," Stephanie a.s.sured her.

"Hey, Italian men are appreciative of women. It's nice. You have to be nineteen and perfect not to feel a little flattered when a man compliments you." She paused, taking a quick glance back. "Even if he is old enough to be Methuselah."

"I really don't think he's appreciating me," Stephanie murmured.

Suzette sighed. "Oh, well, let him look. It's a free country. Okay, it's not the United States, but it's a free country. Can't stop the old boy from looking. Strange, isn't it? I just love it here so very much! I mean, I'll always be an American, but I was so delighted to realize that we were really a success here, that we could have had a very long and prosperous run! What a base! I want to go to Sicily, and so many of the wonderful little spots around here. And hey, a few days in France, Greece... anywhere in Europe would be easy from here. Okay, well, not so easy, since we have to get into Naples, but still... I had really dreamed that I could put in a couple of years here, and now... pray G.o.d, that this is just some flu bug! I feel better today, but I knew how Doug felt, because the other morning when I woke up... it was terrible. It was like being... drained. Can a flu make you have strange dreams? I imagine. I mean, a fever can make you delirious."

Stephanie was barely paying attention. The old man was not looking at her with appreciation. His stare was hard and cold.

"Yes, a fever can make you delirious," she murmured.

The waitress returned with their pasta dishes. Again, she was sweet, urging them to eat up."Stephanie?"

"Yes, Suzette?"

"You're not listening to me."

"I am, really."

"Get over the old guy in the back."

"Sorry. And listen, we are a tremendous success. We will continue to be so."